Night and the City (1950)

John Chard February 6, 2019

★ 10/10

An artist without an art. Night and the City is directed by Jules Dassin and is adapted by Jo Eisinger from the novel written by Gerald Kersh. Starring are Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, Googie Withers, Hebert Lom, Francis L. Sullivan, Mike Mazurki & Stanislaus Zbyszko. The score is composed by Franz Waxman and Max Greene is the cinematographer. It's shot on location in London, England. Harry Fabian (Widmark) is a hopeless dreamer, a two-bit hustler who aspires to make it big and never want for money again. Over hearing retired wrestling superstar Gregorius (Zbyszko) bemoaning the fake wrestling bouts put on by his underworld son Kristo (Lom), Fabian hatches a plan to set up his own wrestling empire backed by Gregorius. Thus he be safe from retribution from Kristo and his heavies. That is as long as Fabian does right by Gregorius and doesn't abuse his trust. Things get complicate…

CinemaSerf December 27, 2022

★ 7/10

Jules Dassin has assembled a top-drawer cast for this thriller. An on-form Richard Widmark ("Fabian") is a bit of a low-life grifter in London who encounters the huge, but ageing, champion wrestler "Gregorius" (Stanislaus Zbyszko) and concocts a plan that could make them both extremely wealthy men. Of course, the best laid plans never quite work out, and soon his internecine web of lies, deceit and sheer blind optimism have him on the back foot and at the mercy of his business partner "Nosseross" (Francis L. Sullivan) amongst others. The writing provides a framework that allows the actors to shine - sparing appearances from Gene Tierney (like Widmark, himself, just a touch fish-out-of water as ostensibly Londoners with an accent from anywhere but) work well, as does Googie Withers, Herbert Lom and the always dependable Sullivan. There is plenty of action, the pace builds well and there i…